Every purchase you make through these Amazon links supports DVD Verdict's reviewing efforts. Thank you!

All Rise...

The Charge

This time the monsters are real!

The Case

Scooby-Doo has been a mainstay of American pop culture since his debut in
1969. After bouncing around in reruns on network and local television during the
1970s and '80s, the series' various incarnations found a permanent home on the
Cartoon Network and a whole new generation of fans. With popularity at an
all-time high, Warner Brothers execs called on fresh talent to revitalize the
franchise and create a direct-to-video feature length adventure. The result is
Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island.

After years of ghost-busting, The Mystery Inc. gang has gone their separate
ways, tiring of being called "meddling kids" by unmasked con men,
thieves, and swindlers. Shaggy (Billy West) and Scoob (Scott Innes) are working
as part-time Customs Inspectors, Velma (BJ Ward) owns and operates the
"Mystery Inc." occult bookstore, while Daphne (Mary Kay Bergman) and
Fred (Frank Welker) are television's newest ratings hit with "Daphne Blake
Coast to Coast"—an investigative news program. When Daphne decides to
focus the show's new season uncovering real paranormal occurrences, Freddie
brings the gang back together. Unfortunately, every incident they encounter
turns out to be more of the same—guys in masks. That is, until the Mystery
Machine finds its way to New Orleans, and the haunted happenings on Moonscar
Island. While Island resident Ms. Simone (Adrienne Barbeau, Swamp Thing) and her chef Lena (Tara
Strong) fill the gang in on the history of the late Captain Morgan Moonscar and
his pirate posse, strange things start happening—but it appears there is
more to this story than meets the eye. The situation goes from bad to worse when
Shag and Scoob accidentally unearth the remains of Capt. Moonscar and animate
his undead self. A bad moon and a bevy of zombies are on the rise and they won't
stop until they get what they're after. It's safe to say this time it's not a
bunch of bad guys wearing masks. With Shaggy and Scooby on the run, it's up to
Fred, Daphne, and Velma to unravel their first real otherworldly mystery before
they become zombies themselves.

Writers Davis Doi (Dexter's Laboratory) and Glenn Leopold
(Doug) shake up the old Hanna-Barbera formula, breathing new life into
these much beloved characters. From the opening title sequence through the
movie's surprising climax, Doi and Leopold have blessed this seasoned gang with
self-awareness, unashamedly making light of their previous
incarnations—from Fred's orange ascot to their unlimited supply of Scooby
Snacks and limited wardrobes. With Welker (Fred) as the only returning cast
member, the voice talent tries its best to recapture the idiosyncrasies of each
character with a mix of success and failure. Let's face it, Billy West (Ren
and Stimpy) does a commendable job with Shaggy, but you simply can't replace
the great Casey Kasem. The same holds true for Scott Innes' attempt to fill the
shoes of the late Don Messick (Scooby). Voice characterization aside, this is
not the Scooby-Doo we all remember as kids. The darkly beautiful feature-quality
animation and modern elements of horror combine to create a more adult
atmosphere than any previous Scooby adventure. Granted, there are still plenty
of cornball antics only a six year old can love. However, some of the zombie
encounters are bound to frighten small children. Just be forewarned.

Presented in 1.33:1 full frame format, director Jim Stenstrum (A Pup
Named Scooby-Doo), Warner Animation, and their overseas partners have
created a lush environment for these characters to play in. Gone are the piss
poor backgrounds, color changing skin tones and wardrobes, and limited character
movements. This is respectable animation, albeit a step below the realism of
quality anime. The colors are rich and vibrant, while the evening adventures in
the bayou are dark and menacing. The Dolby 2.0 audio track is acceptable, but I
would have preferred to see what could have been accomplished with a quality 5.1
mix. Third Eye Blind does a great cover of the series theme "Scooby-Doo,
Where Are You?" during the opening title sequence. Unfortunately, the
supplementary chase music and underscore by original series composer David Mook
are disappointing—perhaps trying too hard to give the film a sweeping epic
feel. While we're on the subject of disappointing, let's talk about the bonus
features or lack thereof. Anchored by a so-called "featurette," which
is nothing more than an extended trailer, Warner tries to pass off an
interactive trivia game, cursor driven character bios, and studio trailers as
something viewers would find valuable. Given this is a series with more than 30
years of history, one might think a documentary or retrospective would be
foremost on the minds of fans and producers alike. Unfortunately, this isn't the
case.

Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island is a visual treat for twenty and
thirty-somethings who grew up on the series. Parents of younger fans might find
this film a bit beyond their reach. Regardless, this court commends Warner
Animation and the new Scooby Gang for bringing these characters out of 1970s
cartoon-land and giving them a New World in which to explore. We can only hope
there will be more quality X-file adventures for the Mystery Inc. gang in the
years to come. Case dismissed.